Plaster base and wall construction



June 8, 1943. H. H. EADES 2,321,373

PLASTER BASE AND WALL CONSTRUCTION I Filed July 27. '1940 3 sheets-sheet1 mwi l3 VEN'roR ATTORNEY June 8, 1943. H. H. EADES 2,321,373

'PLASTER BASE AND WALL consnwcuon Filed July 27, 1940 s'sheets-sheet 2lfl a; m .f W LE w 4 W Z 1 v m a H i j w ===EE=EE V a wfifiwwuww i a g 6I m, M A m 5? =1? 1 r 0 75 m7 /r r/ .4 T 7 6 g m a v. M": V 0 m V F TTWw 8 l 6 w w h W in Z 7 mm 2 i v i- 1 M 9 June 8, 1943.

H, H. EADES PLASTER BASE AND WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 27, 1940- 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR [far/g ff fades ATTORNEY Patented June 8, 1943PLASTER BASE AND WALL CONSTRUCTION I Harry H. Eades, Pittsburgh, Pa.,assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va, a corporation ofDelaware Application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 347,844

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved curtain wall constructionand plaster base, particularly adapted for the speedy and economicalerection of 2-inch curtain partitions in modern building constructions,and the purview of the invention includes such partitions formed'from anew plaster base material, factory cut to predetermined full length wallheight, and having built-in air spaces and a unique and novel hangingmeans, and also a knock-down metal baseboard and anchorage assembly, allof which are designed to give a new form of partition wall assemblywhich eliminates, as herein below explained, certain undesirablefeatures of 2-inch partion walls as constructed in the past,

Heretofore, in modern building constructions which have incorporatedheavy framing members, formed usually from steel, and ceiling andflooring members formed sometimes of cementitious ceiling or flooringslabs, it has been usual and customary to provide 2-inch curtain wallpartitions to separate the rooms of the building, it being obvious thatsuch 2-inch curtain partitions, as opposed to 4-inch or 6-inch partitionwalls, reduced to a minimum, the amount of space utilized in thebuilding by the partitions. The building trades generally have accepted2- inch curtain partitions in such buildings as conventional, asafiording the requisite amount of sound deadening, and as affording apartition of sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand normalstresses and strains and vibratory disturbances. These prior Z-inchcurtain partitions have normally been erected with costly steel channelbar supports giving un-needed structural strengths which are difficultand expensive to install and which have usually comprised A-inch steelchannel members spaced approximately 13 inches apart and runningvertically.

It has been customary to drill holes in the floors and ceilings and thento snap the ends of the steel channel members into place, and then toattach upon such steel channel members, any desired type of plasterbase, usually expanded metal lath, which latter has been athotelconstruction, the i -inch partitions utilize approximately 9% of thetotal floor space, 5 -inch partitions occupy approximately 11%, whereas2-inch .fiat partitions have been calculated as occupying approximately4% and accordingly, it will be realized that the utilization of a2-inch' partition, as opposed to a 5 /2-inch partition, permits anarrangement of rooms giving '7 more floor space, or translated intorooms, giving 7% more rooms with the manifest income advantages.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a new andimproved 2-inch curtain partition assembly, the plaster base of whichcan be factory cut to size for the partitcular installation, which ischeap and economical to install, and which includes what amounts to a%-inch round deadening and heat insulating air space within the centerof the partition, and it is a further object to utilize such pre-cutplaster base with a unique hanging means and knock-down andreadilyassemblable metal baseboard assembly.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a wall constructionwhich will afford substantial structural savings in amounts of plasterused and which eliminates the conventional channel stud support means,and yet which is sufiiciently strong to provide the sufiicient requisiteshock and crack resistance.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a pre-cut plaster basefor such wall constructions, which pre-cut plaster base incorporates ahollow air space approximately of an inch in width, and furtherincorporates a lacework of light gage metal ribs, and welded Wiresrunning cross-wise thereto, which lacework is so arranged to provide initself, suiiicient partition structural strength and thus eliminates allnecessity of the %-inch steel channel stud members now conventionallyutilized,

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention,in which common numerals refer to common parts, and which are givenmerely and solely for illustrative purposes and therefore are not to bedeemed limitative of the invention, the scope of the latter beingdefined in the appended claims. In the figures:

Fig.1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly broken away, of the newand improved plaster base utilized in my new wall construction;

Fig. 2 for purposes of clarity, is an enlarged and fragmentary corner ofthe structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, andadditionally, for purposes of clarity, shows in fragmentary outline, aportion of a contiguous sheet of the plaster base in order to illustratethe method of marginal joining of the same;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, greatly enlarged, of analternate form of plaster base material wherein the steel ribs areformed with extended side flanges adapted to give the structure greaterrigidity and strength;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the completed wall assembly, ready for theapplication of plaster coats;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 'I? of Fig. 6, nd additionallyshows the wall structure after the plaster coats have been applied;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section, partly broken away, of thelower portion of the wall assembly illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective with certain parts inexploded relationship, of the baseboard assembly showing corner members;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective with certain parts in explodedrelationship of the ceiling runner or hanging means for the plasterbacker, and also the knock-down metal baseboard and anchorage assembly;and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating an alternate form ofclip means for centering and holding the plaster base.

In these figures, and referring particularly to Fig. 7 for purposes ofclarity, a metal ceiling runner or hanging means I2 is provided tosupport a plaster base !4, the lower portion of which is connected to aknock-down pre-fabricated metal baseboard and anchorage assembly.

The ceiling runner or hanging means comprising a vertically disposedmetal plate l3, formed, for example, of approximately gage sheet steelwith a horizontally disposed nailing flange 20 as indicated. The runnersI 2 will ordinarily be formed in about 10 ft. lengths and probablyshould approximate about 3% inches in width. The runners l2 can be cutonthe job by a hacksaw, and will be attached to the ceiling byappropriate nails 22 (Fig. 7). The plate 18 will have staggered rows ofrectangular openings 23 which will permit plastering therethrough andwhich also affords a convenient and adjustable means to retain thesheets of plaster base l4 by tieing, for example, by metal wires.

A plaster base [4 will normally be factory cut in pre-determined sheetlengths so as to run from the ceilings to the floors on any particularpiece of building structure. If the walls are 10 ft. high, approximately10 ft. lengths of plaster base M will be provided in convenient widths,for example, inches wide.

The plaster base l4 includes identically opposed sheets of Ecod fabric24- and 26 united by vertical adhesive stripes 28 and comprisingundulating or wavy sheet paper backing material 30, vertically disposedsteel ribs of V-shape 32, which latter may be provided with flanges 34as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5 to give added strength and rigidity. Thesteel ribs may be arranged in alternate valleys of the wave paperbacking on 4-inch centers and may be formed of 28 gage copper bearingsteel, thus affording good strength and rigidity. Transverse to thevertically arranged steel ribs 32, and passing the crest of the waves,are arranged copper bearing 16 gage steel wires 36 which are welded tothe legs of the V-shaped ribs 32. As indicated in Fig. 3 and asparticularlywell shown in Fig. 5, the apexes of the V-shaped steel ribsare in opposed relation and closely adjacent in the assembled plasterbase I4, thereby affording approximately an H beam construction,identified as 38, givingthe plaster base l4 extremely good strength and.rigidity for the amount of metal content therein. The V-shaped ribs 32may be, for example, approximately of an inch deep and of an inch wide.

It will be recognized that the Ecod" fabric described above, andvariations thereof, are described and claimed in Coddington UnitedStates Patent Numbers 1,750,877; 2,071,454; 2,085,004; 2,085,635;2,096,536, but in the said patents the V-shaped ribs are always shown asrunning horizontally thereof,

For example, the paper backing material 30 may comprise a 30. lb. kraftpaper united in cross-wise grain to a 60 lb. kraft by means of a heavycoating of asphalt or other suitable adhesive.

Also, in the plaster base l4 the identically opposed sheets of Ecod 24and 26 may be united by-mastic-adhesive along stripes 28, or othersuitable adhesive. The sheets 24 and 26, as best illustrated in Figs. 1and 3, will normally be provided with opposed projecting or offsetmargins 40 to provide smooth overlapping joints 42, and adjacent andcontiguous sheets will be firmly held in assembled position by invertedU clips 44 (see Fig. 6), which inverted U clips will have their legsslipped under ny pre-selected wires 36 of adjacent sheets of Ecodfabric, making for ease and speed, in hanging and assembling and unitingadjacent sheets into a firm, continuous,

and united plaster base.

The distance from the high to the low point of the undulations of Ecodmay be approximately of aninch and the two paper backings of the twosheets of Ecod in plaster base I4 will normally lie, at their closestpoint, about of an inch apart (except in alternate depressions where thesteel ribs 32 are positioned and Where the two papers are united byadhesive stripes 28) thus affording a series of air cells 45 in plasterbase I4. A main purpose of this invention isto provide a plaster base incurtain wall construction which is strong, rigid and stable, and whicheliminates the necessity for auxilliary steel channel studs orstiffening members.

The pre-fabricated metal baseboard and an! chorage assembly I6 (seeparticularly Figs. 7 and 10 for clarity), comprises identical andopposed side members 46 and 48 formed preferably of 20 gauge sheet steeland each provided with inwardly and downwardly turned top flanges 50 andinwardly and upwardly turned bottom flanges. 52, the latter having adownwardly extending leg plate portion 54, the end of which is in thesame plane as the bottom of the side members 46 and 48, thus permittingthe side members 46 and 48 to be stood on their sides. In other words,leg plate portion 54 operates as an ease] and also stiffens theassembly.

The top flanges 50 and the bottom flanges. 52

form a sliding trackway for sliding and retaining connective bridgemembers 55 which latter each. comprise two leg members 58 and aconnecting strap 66. The lengths of leg members 58 are determined by thewidth of side members 46 and 48 so that the legs 58 will slide in thetrackway described above and afforded by flanges 5B and 52.

The sliding connective and spacing bridge members 56 may be insertedthrough appropriate slots or openings 62 provided in top flanges 56. Ifdesired, appropriate sliding clip members 64 (indicated in Fig. 12) maybe employed with members 56 for centering and holding the lower portionof plaster base material It and the clip member 64 will normally beformed of the bottom portion 68, to slide laterally in the flangedtrackway, and a resilient spring leg portion 68. An alternate form ofsliding clip indicated as TB and illustrated in Figs. '7 and 11, may beutilized, which combines the bridge member 56 and clip members 64integrally, thus providing a connective bridge and spacing member 12 andopposed and contacting spring leg members 14, or a combinaticn of all ofthese forms may be utilized if desired.

Ordinarily, the side members 65 and 48 will be manufactured inapproximately 10 ft. lengths, but may be cut by a hacksaw on theconstruction job.

Preferably, a series of anchorage brackets 18 provided with a raisedover-riding flange l8 (the latter over-riding bridges 6 or 72) will benailed through holes 19 by nails 80 to floor 82. (See Figs. 9 and 11.)It is obvious from this description that the series of anchoragebrackets 16 will be laid in a straight line-on the floor where it isdesired to place the two inch partition, and that plate member l8 willbe placed thereabove and nailed to the ceiling 25. Thereafter, the

prefabricated metal baseboard and anchorage assembly I 6 will beassembled with their parts in pre-determined relation and centered byanchorage brackets or clips 16. The plastic base clip members 64 or 10will be arranged at convenient distances one to another, to accommodateand to clip and to position and center the sheets of plaster base M,which latter will be wired to ceiling runs l2 by wire loops 84.

When this is accomplished, the usual plaster r layers 85, 88, and SE!will be applied to each side of the plaster base I4, and will fill inthe interior portions of the baseboard assembly as indicated. Theseplaster coats will be conventional, namely, normally a scratch coat, abrown coat, and a finish coat.

Pre-fabricated corner assemblies, indicated as 92 and 94 will be joinedto the main steel baseboard assembly by sliding connector units 95 asindicated in Fig. 10, which connector units will fit into the trackwayof flanged side memelement of the invention is to form the supportingstructure for the curtain Wall partition of a steel lacework which alsoserves as plaster gripping means used in conjunction with two sheets ofpaper backer so as to provide an air space and so as to make the curtainpartition lighter in weight, and since it has'air cells, to give thecurtain partition important sound deadening and heat insulatingqualities in contrast to solid curtain wall partitions in normal useheretofore.

Accordingly, it will be recognized that an important characteristic ofmy invention is the provision of two sheets of material held in spacedrelation to provide air cells, which two sheets of material are providedwith external plaster anchorage means, which means gives strength andrigidity and which form the support means for the curtain wallpartition.

It is within the purview of my invention to line or coat the air cellsin base [4 with metal foil for heat insulating purposes.

It will be recognized that according to my invention, I provide a twoinch curtain wall construction, having air cells centrally disposedtherein, which may be cheaply and economically erected Without steelchannel studs and which possesses good strength and rigidity. Theassembling and erection operations are simple and easy and can bespeedily accomplished, and the plastering operations also are simple.Although the invention has been described as particularly appropriatefor two inch curtain partition walls, it will be recognized that theinvention, in whole or in part, and the inventive concepts involvedtherein, may be applied to other types of partition wall or buildingconstructions, or to other types of plaster bases, and thereforereference should be made to the appended claims to determine the scopeof my invention.

I claim:

1. A prefabricated curtain partition wall construction comprising twoopposed relatively thin wavy sheets, each sheet carrying a plurality ofspaced metallic wire members substantially parallel and penetratingwaves of the sheet in such manner that the waves extend at oppositeareas of the spaced metallic wire members, a plurality of spacedgenerally V-shaped metallic ribs scoured to the wire members of eachsheet, the ribs of each sheet facing the same way and certain of thewaves of the sheet lying in abutment with the apexes of the ribs, thetwo sheets being so associated that the apexes of the ribs of one sheetare in register with the apexes of the ribs of the second sheet withwave areas of the sheets between said ribs, the wire members and areasof the sheets thus being held spaced to provide air chambers, and meanssecuring the two sheets to each other.

2. A curtain partition wall construction in accordance with claim 1, inwhich the two sheets are bonded together along parallel lines by anadhesive medium in line with each pair of opposed ribs carried by thetwo sheets.

3. A curtain partition wall construction in accordance with claim 1, incombinajtion with means carried by one end of the structure and adaptedto hold the same perpendicular to a supporting wall surfaceindependently of studding, whereby the entire opposed surfaces of thestructure may be plaster-coated and concealed.

HARRY H. EADES.

